deming



(No Model.) n 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. F. D EMING.

1EDLIIING CABINET FURNITURE.

No. 821,586. Patented July 7, 1885 (No Mode.) l 3 Sheets-Sheet', 2. L. F. BEMNG.

FOLDNG CABINET FURNIURE.

No. 321,586. Y Patentduly 7, 1885. 12g@ *B ll LCG); g a ai l Sic L (No Modem s sheetssheet ,3.

L. F.1Jl-:1m1vlc FOLDING CABINET fufmnrmmn` No. 321,586. Pate-med vJuly 7", 1885.`

lllivrrnn @rares harnn'r LYSANDER F. DEHING, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FGLCING CABINET-FURNITURE.

'F'.PEFICATION forming part o' Letters Patent No. 321,586, dated July '7, 3.8555.

.To all whom, il? may concern.-

Beit known that l, LYsaNDnn l?. DEMING, of the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Foldingl Cabinet-Fun niturc, of which the following is a specification, reference being hal to the accompanying drawings.

The invention is applicable especially, to wardrobes and book-cases, but also applicable, in whole or in part, tosideboards, chiioniers, and other cabinets.

The invention consists in certain combinations of the several paris of such a piece of furniture, as hereinafter described, whereby, while provision is afforded for folding it into a compact form for transportation or storage, it may be easily and quickly set n p in a substantial manner for use.

The accompanying drawings represent a' wardrobe, which serves as well as any other piece of furniture to illustrate my invention, as it embodies all -the features thereof.

Figure l is a view in front elevation of a wardrobe constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical sreional view ofthe same on the line x a: oll Fig. l Fig. 3 is a view ofthe sinne on thesame scction-line, but showing the various parts folded together. Fig. #l is a` top view of the wardrobe extended for use. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View ofthe same on the line z z of 2. Fig. 6 is a View on the same sectional line, showing the various parts folded together. Fig. 7 isa vertical sectional View of the samQtiken upon the line y y ci Fig. 2 and parallel to the back and front. Fig. S isaperspeetive view of the drawer, showing it as extended for use, and having the buck partly broken away to show more clearly the construction and arrangement of the paris. Fig. 9 is a. transverse sectional view ot' the saine drawer, showing the various parts thereof folded together.

A designates the back, composed of a main piece reaching across the back of the Ward robe, and the stiles B Bwhich are rigidly attached to the edges of the main back piece,so that they stand at right angles to its surface and lengthwise along the edges. This part may be otherwise constructed in any suitable manner to give it rigidity and strength.

To the front edges of those stiles B B are (No model.)

hinged by hinges d d the folding side pieces G C. To the front edges ofthese folding pieces are hinged by hinges c c the upright door Stiles D D. To these door-Stiles are hinged by hinges I) b the doors E E.

Reaching across the upper part of the front of the wardrobe, and above the doors, is a strong rigid horizontal brace, F. {Shownin Figs. 1,2, and 1.) This brace engages the top of one ot' the folding side pieces, C C, with each end, so as to hold each piece firmly in position. In the example given this engagement is made by a dovetail, o, as shown in Fig. 4.

At the upper end of the Wardrobe, and hinged by iinges g g to the rigid back A, is a top piece, G, which consists of a board of such a shape and size as that its edges will conform to the interior of the wardrobe, and that it will entirely close the upper part thereof. This top piece is so hinged that when free it is capable of being folded downward and backward, toward and parallel to the rigid back A, as shown in Fig. 3. A bottom piece, K, is also hinged to the back by hinges la lr, which are ata convenient distance from the bottom. This bottoni piece is constructed of such shape and size that its edges conform to the interior of the wardrobe, entirely closing the bottoni thereof. It is capable of being folded upward and backward, toward and parallel to the back A. Between this top piece and this bottom piece are placed any convenient number of shelves, as H l, at proper distances apart. These shelves are hinged to the rigid baci; A by hinges ii It i i, so that they are capable of being folded down close against the back, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. To keep these shelves up in position for use, they are provided with props or supports 'i'h z" i7, which are hinged to the shelves by hinges' h2 li it t?, and are capable of being folded each into a recess or cavity at the bottom of its respective shelf, as at j so that theirouter faces will be iiush with the under surfaces ofthe shelves. Convenient hooks for hanging garments, as g g', are hinged to the lower surface of thetop piece G, and so constructed and applied that they are capable of being folded into recesses or cavities at gt g2 in the bottom of said top piece, G.

To provide a stop for the doors to close IOC t piece,G, and partly in theinteriorof the brace moved; next the brace F is taken out; then against, and also to afford facility for fastening the doors, an upright central post or stile, L, is interposed between the top piece, G, and the bottom piece, K, at the middle of the front of the wardrobe. This central post or stile is t removable. It maybe held in its place in any convenient way. In the example given it is held at the top by a` tenon passing into a mortise partly in the front edge of the top F, and at the bottoni by a hinged foot-piece, Z, adapted to the pins Z Z, which are fastened in the bottom piece, K, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5.

The warbrobe illustrated is provided with a drawer-such as is separately shown in Figs. 8 and Q-and which slips under the bottom piece, K, as shown in Figs. 2 and 7, the doors only extending downward to this bottom piece, and the drawer-front forming the front of the bottom part of the wardrobe.

O designates the bottom part of the drawer, to which the ends M M are hinged by hinges m m, so that they are capable of being folded down upon said bottoni. The back S is hinged by hingessl s to a strip, w, rigidly secured along t the back of the bottom 0, and is capable of being folded down upon the ends M M when they are folded upon the bottoni. The drawerfront R is so hinged by hinges r1' to side strips, c', rigidly secured on the bottom, that it is capable of being folded down upon the ends M M when the latter lie on the bottoni O. rlhe sides, back, and front of the drawer are held in upright position by the'catehplates t r 1", which may be of any convenient construct ion.

At the bottom ot' each of the folding side pieces, C C, is placed a grooved raihp, which forms on the inside ot' the bottom ot' each of said pieces C C a tongueand-groove guide, p. Adapted to work in and upon these guides are similar tongue and groove guides, Q Q, attached to the bottom of the drawer, so that when the drawer is in its place in the wardrobe the tongues and grooves not only guide the drawer in its movement in and out, but also make the drawer act as a brace to hold the lower part of the said side pieces, C C, in place.

When the various parts of my invention are arranged extended, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, and 8, it may be used as a common wardrobe. To fold this wardrobe for storage, transportation. and the like, the drawer is rethe central post or stile, L, is removed, then the shelves H I are folded against the back and their supports 7L h z" t" folded into the rccesses or cavitiesj; then the top and bottom pieces, G and K, are folded backward upon the shelves; next the stiles D D, with t-he doors attached, are folded inward against the side pieces, C C, and, lastly, the said side pieces, v the said stiles, and the doors are all folded i against the top and bottom pieces, G and K,

the parts then assuming the positions illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6. The ends MM of the drawer, heilig loosened from the catch plates t r r', are tirst folded upon the bottom O. The back S is next folded upon them. Lastly, the front Ris folded down upon them. The Various parts of the drawer then assume the positions illustrated in Fig. 9. Thus the body ot' the wardrobe and the drawer may both be folded into a narrow compass, so that they will occupy comparatively but little room both in storage and transportation.

It is obvious that these improvements not only apply to wardrobes, but also to all similar articles of furniture.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The combination of the rigid back A, the bottom piece, K, hinged to the said back to fold upward, the top piece, G, hinged to said back to fold downward, the side pieces, C C, hinged to the said back. to fold inward and backward toward the said top and bottom pieces, and the doorstiles D D` hinged to the said side pieces to fold inward between them, and the top and bottom pieces, substantially as herein described.

2. rlhe combination of the rigid back A, the shelves H I, hinged to said back to fold upward close against the same. the top piece, G, hinged to said back to fold downward upon the tolded shelves, the bottom piece, K, hinged to said back to fold upward upon the folded shelves, side pieces, C C, hinged to the back to fold inward and backward toward the top and bottom pieces, and the door-Stiles D D hinged to said side pieces to fold inward between them and the top and bottom pieces, substantially as herein described.

3. The combination of the rigid back A, the bottom piece, K, hinged to said back to fold upward, the top piece, G, hinged to said back to fold downward, the side pieces, C C, hinged to said back to fold inward and backward toward the top and'bottom pieces, the rigid front brace, F, detachably connected with said side pieces at the top thereof, and the door-Stiles D D hinged to said side pieces to fold inward between them and the top and bottom pieces, substantially as herein described.

4. The combination, with the rigid back A, the side pieces, C C, and top and bottom pieces, G K, hinged thereto, and the front brace, F, engaging the side pieces ofthe central upright post or stile, L, between the bottom piece, K, and the top piece, G, and brace F, substantially as herein described.

5. The combination,with the back piece, A, and hinged folding side pieces, C G, of a drawer,the bottom ot' which engages by tongueand'groove guides with the said side pieces and serves to brace the lower part of the latter, substantially as herein described.

LYSANDER F. DEMING.

NVitnesses:

C. HALL, Fnnnit. HAYNEs. 

